Add to Queue: Shut up, Elvis
⤏ A PLAYLIST FOR HONORING THE ACTUAL VOICES OF ROCK N ROLL
⤏ CURATED BY APRIL CARROLL
“I know too many artists that are far greater —singers like Nat King Cole, who got assaulted by white audiences for performing rock music, while Elvis received widespread acclaim. He was doing our kind of music, so what the hell am I supposed to get so excited about?”
—RAY CHARLES
What is the theme of your playlist?
An Anti-Elvis Anthem; with the new movie and sudden resurgence of Elvis conversations in the mainstream zeitgeist, I made a reminder playlist that Elvis never borrowed, asked for, or honored Black voices that originally created the rock n' roll genre as a whole.
Why did you select these songs?
I think it's really easy to push aside Black artists who formed this genre when we see depictions again and again of white performers saying they went to ask permission from them to use their sound. Even if this narrative was true (which, surprise it never is!) not only does one Black artist not speak for the whole of the Black population/rock n' roll sound but the white performer is never going to be faced the same potential of repercussions that their Black counterpart would have during this period of music creation. As quoted by Ray Charles, when Black artists came out on the scene with rock n' roll, they were booed off the stage and most people saw it as a gate way to bad doings. While when Elvis jumped into the genre, suddenly it was hot and alluring. Most of the songs that are well known within the rock n' roll genre have been stolen, re-recorded, or publicized by white artists and that means that most people have never heard their original recordings or know of the original artists. I picked these songs because not only did they come first in the line of rock n' roll creation, but so many of these artists are the pivotal names and creators of what is being herald as the rock n' roll sound and no one knows who they are.
What’s one song you wish you wrote?
This Bitch Matters: Doechii
You get to spend a day with three artists. Who are they and what are you doing?
Nina Simone, Arlo Parks, and Frank Ocean. We'd get really high and spend the day comparing beauty and comforts. Food, music, people, favorite places in the world to create work. As Black people, we'd indulge openly and have no shame doing so!!
You can only listen to one artist for the rest of your life. Who would it be?
I consume music by songs and playlists rather than albums and entire discographies, so I just can’t even imagine a world that small…
What is your most frequently played song/album?
SOS by SZA - Before you say anything,,,, let me explain - I have a scorpio moon and SZA is a scorpio; so all the words she sings I relate to in an incredibly heartbreaking and intimate way. I've got these hugeee feelings that I feel like a lot of folks have trouble understanding but boy oh boy does my girl SZA get it and puts it all into words I wish I could of come up with :')
If your life were a movie, what 5 songs would be on the soundtrack?
No L's: Smino (Intro Scene)
It's A Man's Man's Man's World: James Brown (Meeting Your Main Character Scene)
Peas: boylife (When The Two Characters You Want Together Finally Kiss Scene)
Krunk: Sad Night Dynamite (Fight Scene)
Right Down the Line: Sam Evian (Rolling Credits)
What’s a song everyone needs to listen to?
Black Tame by Topaz Jones
What’s the most underrated song/band/artist out there right now?
Sugar Mama - Dua Saleh: An incredible Black nonbinary artist; they were in the show "Sex Education" but I don't think people know they make really cool music as well.
What do you think Rihanna named her baby?
Going with a solid George or Georgie name; nothing behind it beyond me thinking it would be f*cking hilarious if that was true.